Left Behind
by lil miss meiling
Summary: Things couldn't be more perfect as House and Chase have moved into their new home. However when on his day off Chase starts to get strange phone calls, old memories start to arise and come back to haunt him, threatening everything he now has. H/C estab.
1. Chapter 1

Authors Note: So I was sitting here, bored out of my wits and watching When a Strangers Calls, when I got this idea for a fic, very loosely based off it. It's also a ChaseHouse fic, so if you don't like slash, you should probably stop here. Other than that, I hope you enjoy :-)

Chapter One: A New Home

Another boring day, he thought, staring around the newly purchased home that he and his partner shared. It had been a huge step for both of them, realizing that the one bedroom apartment simply wasn't enough and that with the money they made, there was no real reason not to move into something more spacious. House hunting had been an adventure all on its own, though considering who was involved it was no surprise. Chase had known that when he and Greg and finally decided that it was the best course of action that actually finding a suitable place would be no picnic. Still, 12 missed appointments and 5 realtors later they had found the perfect place.

It was a nice sized home with more rooms than they really needed, but they both liked it which was enough of a reason to get it. There was a bit more distance between them and the hospital than before, with a bit more privacy for the two of them which was greatly appreciated. Most of their things had been unpacked, only a few odds and ends left to take out of boxes, things that were probably unnecessary but with so much space they might as well keep.

Still, with his day of the young blonde had no desire to continue unpacking as he had done most of it himself already. Wilson had come over the first day to help with the furniture, but everything else had been left up to him, not that he could blame his lover, not really having hands to spare. He could have done without the mocking though. It wasn't his fault his arms weren't used to manual labor aside from moving patients at work. Growing up his father had always hired people for any kind of work that required his family to life a finger.

Not that thinking about any of this was getting him closer to finding something to do with his day off. With House at work for god knows how long he was left with the job of entertaining himself, which he has never good at. It was already 8:00pm and the only thing he had done all day was drag himself off of the couch long enough to shower and make something for lunch. He had been hoping Greg would make it home before dinner, despite the fact that it was a long shot. Of course if he had to be truthful, that wasn't really the only reason he wanted the other to be home.

It was stupid really, something that had bothered him since his early college years, having been forced to move several times during that time. After one incident, Chase had always had a bit of trouble adjusting to his surroundings when moving into a new home. It made no sense really, especially now that so much time had passed it was kind of ridiculous. But having trouble sleeping the last two nights told him that his old fear had never truly gone away. He had convinced Greg that it was nothing, that it was simple restlessness that had him waking up in the middle of the night, too tired to sleep but no energy to do anything else. Of course the blonde was completely aware that his story was probably not that convincing but he hadn't been interrogated so far, he figured House was biding his time, waiting for the right moment to strike or perhaps for Chase himself to come clean. Either way, he was glad that for now at least he hadn't been forced to explain himself.

He was drawn away from his thoughts by the howling of the wind causing the leaves to rustle outside of the windows that stretched from the floor to the ceiling, his eyes darting around as his heart beat quickened. The day had been overrun by night, the sun replaced by the moon and stars which provided a minimal amount of light. Sighing, he closed his eyes for a moment, berating himself for reacting so childishly. Still...pushing himself up he made his way to the kitchen and picked up the cordless, dialing House's office number.

Ring. Ring. Ring. Ri- "What do you want?"

Ah. Good ol' House, always so polite. "Depends. Is sex out of the question?"

"Never. What do you think I keep you around for?"

"Oh, and hear I thought you actually cared. Silly me." A smile slowly made its way to his lips. Just hearing the other's voice put him at ease. "When are you coming home?"

"Aw. Is little Robbie missing me already?"

"Oh yes. I've thought of nothing else all day."

"Well, I can't say I blame you. My charming wit and dashing good looks. Who wouldn't miss me? I should be back in a couple of hours though. Earlier hopefully, if I can sneak past Cuddy and Wilson."

"Okay...Yeah, that sounds good."

House however, caught on to the relieved tone and couldn't help but feel a small pang of concern. "...You okay Wombat? Not scared of the dark are ya?"

Shaking his head, mostly to himself as the other was on the other side of town, he rolled his eyes. "Of course not...just bored thats all. I'll see you when you get home."

"Whatever you say kiddie."

Chuckling, Chase lowered the phone and pressed the off button, placing it back on the charger. He felt silly, calling Greg at work just to calm his own silly fears, and now the other knew for sure something was up, and he wasn't going to be able to hold off another conversation about what was wrong. He'd never live it down.

He jumped suddenly at the sound of something banging, and whirled around, noticing that the weather seemed to be worsening and had knocked over one of the chairs on the patio. "Stop it," he told himself, taking a deep breath. "You're acting ridiculous for someone who's 30 years old. It's just a stupid chair, now go outside and set it back up. No big deal right? Right. You know better."

With slow steps he made his way across the kitchen and to the porch door, staring at the leaves being blown off their branches, the trees that were creating shadows the danced across the walls. Hesitantly he unlatched the door and slid it open, stepping out into the night. It took only a few seconds to pick up the chair, but as he was about to set it right the phone rang. He glanced back for a moment before dropping the fallen item in the doorway and heading back inside to pick up the phone. "Hello?"

Oddly enough, the only reply he got was static, not the kind that came from a bad connection, but more like someone was standing outside and had the wind blowing into the mouth piece. "...Greg is that you?" Still nothing. "Hello...?" Click.

Confusion was written across his face as he slowly pulled the phone away and stared down at the caller idea which read "Unknown Number." Weird...he hadn't the slightest who it could have been, as most of their friends' numbers always came up right away. Shrugging to himself he went to place the phone down and turned to go back out when he paused, his eyes locking on the spot where the now missing chair had been. Taking a closer look he noticed that it now was lodged in the corner of the porch, it's legs caught in the wooden beams. Logic told him that it must have blown back while he was on the phone, after all he had been facing the other way and the wind was obviously strong enough to blow it around. Still, a small part in the back of his mind wondered how the wind had caught it while half of it was already inside of the doorway. Did he really want to know the answer to that? No, no he didn't.

Frowning, he quickly closed the door and locked it, taking one last look outside before pulling the blinds closed. It seemed simple enough. If he couldn't see it, it couldn't frighten him. He'd used this logic as a kid and it had worked perfectly fine then, so why not now. What he really needed was a distraction, something to kidnap his mind and keep it occupied until House came home from work, and thankfully with his lover's taste in tv shows there were plenty of things tivoed that he could watch. Hopping onto the couch he grabbed the remote and turned on the tv, scrolling through the recordings until he came to one of the many episodes of The L Word that had been recorded. Nothing takes your mind off of things like a show about hott lesbians right?

He managed to make it about halfway through the first episode when the phone started to ring again. Without thinking he pressed the power button and brought the phone to his ear. "Hello?" Just like before there was no answer, however this time the staticy sound was missing, replaced by someone breathing into the phone. His eyebrows furrowed as he lifted his legs from the floor and crossed them so he was sitting indian style on the couch. "Can I help you with something?" He couldn't help but glance around, waiting for a reply that didn't seem to be coming until-

"New place hm? Looks nice."

His breathe caught in his throat and his eyes widened as the words were spoken in a voice that sounded like something from a memory that he couldn't place. "Who is this?" he forced out with a quivering voice that matched his trembling hands. Click. "Hello? Hello?? Damnit..." He was met only with a dial tone, signaling the other had hung up the phone. He quickly clicked the phone off and back on, dialing the first person that came to mind. Maybe House was just trying to mess with him, it wasn't out of the question after all, knowing the other loved to play tricks and wasn't exactly the most innocent of people.

"Hello?"

He took a moment, trying to slow his racing heart and quietly took a breath, not wanting to sound scared. After all, if it was House, there was no way he was going to give in that easily. "Did you just call here?"

"Why hello to you too. Someone's manners are lacking. And no, I didn't."

"Sorry...," he closed his eyes for a moment, telling himself to just be calm. "Someone's been calling. Probably some stupid teenager with nothing better to do but prank call people. Still, I thought I'd check to see."

"Why Robert I'm hurt that you think I'd do such a thing."

"Oh don't pretend to be all innocent. You're probably just sad you didn't think of it first."

"...Touche. Lucky for you I almost home. I managed to get out of my last hour of clinic duty, which really means I made a run for it before anyone could stop me. So I'll be back soon enough. Think you can manage without me a bit longer?"

"Yeah yeah...I'll see you when you get here."

He hung up the phone, however kept his fingers tightly wrapped around it as if expecting it to ring again. Stupid prank callers...why was it the kids never had anything else to do than to bother those with actual lives? Not that he could say he had much of one right now...after all the complaining he had done about being bored. Still it wasn't as though he was going to pick up the phone and start dialing random numbers, scaring people in their homes for his own twisted amusement while the victims ended up being frightened, the safety of their home becoming less and less.

The next thing he heard was the clicking of the lock at the front door and all he could do was stare, watching as the lock turned and the door started to creak open almost in slow motion until he looked up and saw a familiar face, staring at him with an expression caught between confusion and worry. "Hey..."

Relief came flooding over him like a tidal wave as he smiled, suddenly feeling utterly foolish for having been so panicked only minutes earlier. He watched as the other approached him, sitting beside him almost hesitantly, watching closely as if to read his mind, trying to figure out what had happened while he was gone. "I know what you're trying to do...," he said softly, shifting so he was laying down, his head in the other's lap, smiling when fingers began to run through his hair, taking comfort in the small action. "But I'm fine."

"Really Robbie, you should know by now I can tell when you're lying...and I know there's more to it than just a few prank calls, cause even you aren't scared _that_ easily. I figured I'd give it a couple days, maybe it was just something about adjusting to being here. But I know there's something you're trying to hide." He waited until Chase's soft green eyes stared up at him to continue. "You know you can tell me...Contrary to popular belief, I can listen when the occasion calls for it."

It wasn't that he really _wanted _to hide things from him, but just the thought of talking about it out loud sent a chill up his spine and caused him to block it out of his mind. Still, the look in Greg's eyes told him he was sincerely concerned and wanted nothing more than to make him feel at ease,and he knew he couldn't deny him much longer. "I know you can...it's just...it's stupid really, something that happened so long ago that I thought I was over...I'll tell you soon, I promise...just...not tonight okay? Besides...I bet you're starving eh?"

He could tell the other wanted to persist, but he gave his best puppy eyed look until he caved. "Tell me you made something at least somewhat edible." And with that the conversation was evaded, at least for now. Chase knew he couldn't hold it off for much longer, but for now he was okay, safe in Greg's arms, and that was enough for him.


	2. Chapter 2

Authors Note: First, I just wanna give a little thank you to one of my reviewers, Quack675, I always have trouble with eye color and could not for the life of me figure out if they were green or blue, so thanks for that :-) I'm so exited people actually seemed to like this! I'm trying to keep to updating every couple of days. So for now here's chapter 2 :-) Enjoy!

Chapter Two:

At work the next day, having managed to get a small amount of sleep, Chase found himself functioning close to normal after downing several cups of second rate coffee that the office provided. He would have to remind himself to bring in his own from now on. Thankfully they didn't have a new patient, so Cuddy had them working in the clinic, which came with a minimal amount of stress and pressure which were two things he was glad to do without. His mind kept flashing back to the night before and the couple of phone calls he had received, which he constantly assured himself were nothing but cruel jokes.

To his surprise things seemed to pass by quickly enough, patients came to him with everything from sore throats to stomach cramps, nothing that difficult to diagnose and bordering the point of boredom. He had barely spoken to House all day, having locked himself in his office as to avoid doing anything that could be misconstrued as work while his minions slaved away to make sure he wasn't bothered. Once or twice he had mentioned this in passing, but it never seemed to do much good.

Smiling, he waved goodbye to his latest patient before straightening out some papers and placing them back in the patient's file before heading out the door himself, and handing it back to the nurses station. He opened his mouth to announce the end of his shift when the beeping of his pager interrupted him, causing him to sigh as he clipped it off his belt and glanced down at the number, smiling faintly as it came up as his boss's. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad after all. "He's probably been sitting up there waiting for me to finish up, lazy bastard."

The blonde doctor made his way to the elevator and pushed the up button, waiting impatiently as an eternity seemed to pass, and still it never came. He sighed and jammed his finger on the button several more times before rolling his eyes in frustration and opting to take the stairs that now seemed like the faster option. Turning the knob and pushing forward on the door her stepped into the rarely used stairwell, the sound of it closing behind him echoing all around him.

He made it up the first few steps before jumping as his cell phone went off and the nokia tone filled the air. A number he couldn't recognize showed up on the screen but he shrugged and flipped the phone open. "Hello?"

Silence.

"...Hello?"

Breathing.

"Seriously, is someone there?"

Click.

Pulling the phone away from his ear, the blonde stared down at the screen where the words "Call Ended," stared back up at him. Dejavu struck as he thought back to the night before and the phone calls with where no one replied but he quickly tried to dismiss it. There was no way for someone to get his cell number really, he had made sure it was a private number to try and ward off annoying telemarketers that loved to call. It was probably just someone from work with a bad connection. That or perhaps House had truly thought the idea of prank calling him was an attractive one. However after last night he doubted that was the case, despite his lover's fondness of playing games.

He was about to pocket the phone and continue up the stairs when the ringing started again. The same number as before. Perhaps the person had found a better connection so he could actually figure out who was trying so hard to get in touch with him. At least that's what he was going to hope for. "Hello?"

Again, he heard nothing.

"Look, whoever this is I can't here you. Either find a better connection or stop calling me."

Click.

Sighing, he slammed the phone shut, grasping it tightly as he took a deep breath, repeating to himself that it was just a prank, over and over like a calming mantra as he quickly continued up the stairs, taking them two at a time. It was almost no surprise when the phone rang again, answering it immediately. "Didn't you hear me last time? Stop calling m-"

"Are you scared yet?"

And suddenly he was frozen in place as the same voice from last night flowed through the line and filled him with the same fear and insecurity he had felt years before. He quickly hung up the phone and shoved it into his pocket as he shook his head. "Don't think like that Robbie," he told himself. "This has nothing to do with what happened back then. That's over. This is just someone being an asshole, and you can't let it get to you. Especially not here, at your job." Still, it didn't seem to be working, and the sudden clanging coming from below him spurred him onward, and he quickly exited the stairwell as he thankfully made it to the diagnostics floor.

Not wanting to show that anything was wrong, Chase did his best to straighten himself out as he walked towards Greg's office. However, he was surprised to see, as he approached the glass office, that House seemed to be on his way out. Smiling as the other looked up, he quirked an eyebrow. "Going somewhere?"

"Meeting with Cuddy. I think I might be running late though," House answered, glancing down at his watch. "Only by half an hour though, not bad I'd say."

Chuckling, the younger of the two doctors rolled his eyes and shook his head. "If you have a meeting why did you bother paging me?"

It became House's turn to raise a brow. "And I would pull you away from completing my clinic duty why?"

" I don't know...," Chase sighed, glancing down at his pager. There was no denying it, he had been paged by Greg...well, someone using his phone at least. Even stranger, it had been right after he was paged that the calls had started again...coincidence? "Not likely," his subconscious screamed, but the ramifications of accepting that fact were ones he was not ready to deal with and as such he politely told his brain to shut it. Still, it was nagging on him like an overprotective parent that never loosened its grip and now more than ever he dreaded returning home.

Shit. He forgot Greg was still there. "Sorry," he said giving a small smile. "It was probably Cameron or Foreman. Anyway, for your information I'm done in the clinic. Do you want me to wait for you so we can head home?"

"And not have dinner waiting for me when I get back?" House asked, feigning being shocked and appalled.

"My god, you're right. How could I have even thought such a thing?" the blonde answered with a smirk. "In that case I'll be on my way so that I might slave over a hot stove for hours on end for you."

"See? Now is that too much to ask for?"

"Not at all...Just make sure you don't ride home on the bike tonight. Ask Wilson for a ride home, since he's usually here late. The roads are bound to be horrid with all the rain that's coming down."

"Yes mother," came the sarcastic reply, which was only paused when the blonde smiled mischievously. "What are you-"

That was all he managed to get out before Chase captured his lips in a brief but loving kiss. He laughed to himself as he pulled away, whispered complaints escaping his lover's lips that were quickly countered by a rare smile shared only with him. With no desire to ruin the moment with words he smiled and turned to walk away, waving goodbye as he reached the elevator and took it to the garage.

It took some extra time to make it home with the rain pouring down from the nearly black sky, any source of light blocked by the threatening storm clouds. All that was missing was the thunder and lightening that with his luck Chase was sure would come soon enough. Still, it made the relief he felt when he was finally able to collapse on the couch in their living ten times better than on normal days, the stress of the day just slipping away as minutes ticked by. Despite logic telling him otherwise, he felt his pale blue eyes starting to close, the lack of sleep starting to ware on him. A nap would be fine right? Just a short nap...

Ring ring. Ring ring. A groan. Reaching out blindly for the culprit he clicked the phone on before he was even able to bring it to his ear. "Hello?" he drawled, a yawn passing through his lips. When no answer came he decided he was too tired to be bothered trying to make sense of it and simply hung up. Slowly, he sat up, squinting his eyes to read the blaring red numbers on the digital clock which told him he had slept for much too long. With dinner not even started and Greg...Strange. He assumed the other would have been home by now. Meetings with Cuddy never seemed to take very long as they usually consisted of her talking at him until he got bored and simply walked out. Of course, if he had chosen to ride with Wilson, they could have stopped somewhere.

Still, it worked out better for him in the end, now having extra time to fix everything before the other arrived and not look like he was simply being lazy. Despite the domesticity of it all, Chase had to admit that he enjoyed his role as the chef in their home, and not only because anything the other made was sure to clog their arteries. It had almost a calming effect with him. Though most would consider coming home from vigorous work shifts to slave over at stove to be unbearable he found that it helped clear his head. Besides...the rewards were great when he made something Greg was especially fond of.

Just thinking about it brought a smile to his face and made him get up, stretching his arms over his head as he let out one final yawn. Upon reaching the kitchen he rummaged through the cabinets, chewing on his lower lip as he tried to figure out what to make. Lasagna, he decided, was the meal of choice that evening. It was fun for him to make, having always watched his mom when she made it so many years ago, when things had been normal. Now the only question was whether or not he had everything. Sauce? Check. Hamburger? Check. The Pasta? Che-

Before he could finish the mental checklist of ingredients the phone starting ringing again. Sighing, he glanced down at the retched device, briefly wondering if he should just ignore it, but doubted it would make much of a difference. "Hello?"

Just as before there was nothing but the sound of breathing, one that he was becoming increasingly freaked out by. Still, that was nothing compared to the fear he felt moments later when he heard something crash above him. His head snapped up, blonde locks falling away from his eyes that were wide with fear. The phone slipped through his fingers, clattering the floor with the battery popping out from the force and sliding away.

His breath quickened, his heart threatening to pound right out of his chest as he stood rooted in place. Thoughts became blurs as he could focus on nothing but the broken silence, the movements in a what should have been empty home. Calm. Calm. Gotta Stay Calm. It could've been anything right? Right. Unpacked boxes falling, something slipping off the wall. Maybe it was simple imagined, a hallucination made up by is fear induced mind.

"But what if it's not?" he thought, "What if someone's upstairs? I should call the police right? Of course." That idea however seemed impossible at the moment as he knelt down and picked up the now useless phone. His eyes darted around, hoping to catch sight of the missing battery but it was futile. It could have easily slid under anything and his mind was racing a mile a minute, leaving no time for him to concentrate on one thing too long.

"Okay Robert, just take a deep breath," he told himself. And he did. "It's probably nothing, just something fallen over and your overactive imagination working against you. Just go upstairs and see what it was." Warning bells went off in his head, reminding him of ever scary movie he'd ever seen and what happened to the ones who investigated strange noises. Still, right now at this moment it was something almost meaningful. He couldn't be afraid for the rest of his life of something happening and walking up those stairs would be the first step. Still...that didn't stop him from grabbing one of the kitchen knives.

Making his way through the kitchen and living room he paused at the stairs, the darkness that awaited him being almost enough to make him second guess himself. Closing his eyes tightly and taking a deep breathe, Chase hesitantly took the first step. He reopened his eyes, somewhat glad that the first step was done and slowly continued upward, each step matching his pounding hear. Near the top his hand came up to the wall, sliding along until he felt the light switch and flicked it on, banishing the dark and flooding the hall with light.

His eyes scanned the hall from one end to the other, stopping when they landed on the door to his and Greg's bedroom. Theirs was the room that was above the kitchen so whatever the sound had been, it had come from in there. Not giving himself a chance to back down he walked towards the door, each step causing the floorboards to creak. The only time he paused was when he finally reached the door and his hand touched the handle. It was his last chance to turn back, head back downstairs and right out the door. But if someone had been there, what's to say they hadn't hopped out the window? Either way his chances didn't seem to be good and this way at least he felt some sense of dignity as he swallowed his fear and pushed open the door.

The first thing done was to flick on the light, his hand moving almost unbelievably fast to do that, not wanting to spend a moment without being able to see. He barely had to step into the room when he saw what had caused the noise. By the side of their bed, by the looks of it having fallen from the nightstand, was the one and only picture he had been able to get of Greg and himself. Shards of glass laid scattered around the frame. Still, as he came closer and got down on his knees to pick up the mess, something seemed wrong, and when he really took a good look it was easy to see why. The photograph that had been in the frame now stared up at him...in two different places, having been torn down the middle.

Before he even had time to think the phone suddenly rang from downstairs and this time he was unable to hold back the frightened yell. There was no way for it to ring, the battery had been lost. It shouldn't be ringing, shouldn't be making a single sound and yet it filled the house as loud as ever. His whole form trembled almost violently as he pulled into himself, his knees coming to his chest, the knife held tight in his grasp. His mind went completely blank and his eyes slipped closed as he retreated into his mind. If it couldn't see it it wasn't real. Such a stupid idea really. Stupid, stupid stupid stupid stu-.

And then downstairs, the front door opened.


	3. Chapter 3

Authors Note: Let me just say, I am so sorry I haven't updated this fic. I'm really bad with multichapter fics because I tend to lose inspiration. With a nice little oneshot that doesn't matter that much, but when I've got a longer story it's a horrible thing. So I apologize. And now just a quick thanks actually, to "You're out of your vulcan mind" who reviewed yesterday asking if this would be updated ever again, and that somehow shot me out of my funk, and here we are with chapter three. I hope you guys like it!

Chapter Three

"Robbie?" House called as he entered their home, nudging the door closed with his cane. The living was empty, though tv was on, a rerun of Lost gracing the screen. He rolled his eyes and grabbed the remote to shut it off before calling out his lover's name once more, frowning when he received no answer.

As he moved through the house and into the kitchen he took note of the ingredients that lay scattered on the counter. Lasagna...his favorite. Turning to move to the next part of the house he paused, taking notice that something was out of place. Blue eyes glanced down and noticed the phone that lay precariously on the tile floor, as if someone had dropped it. The battery was in tact. The small amount of concern he had been ignoring was starting to grow in the pit of his stomach with each new second that ticked by and Chase was nowhere in sight.

Suddenly the phone started to ring and despite the annoyance it was to bend down, he did so and clicked the power button. "Hello?"

A breath. "If I were you, I'd check upstairs..." Click.

A myriad of emotions passed over House's face as he stared down at the disconnected phone. Panic, confusion, worry, even a small amount of fear. They all paled however, to the anger that clouded over him a few moments later as he threw the phone across the room before darting towards the stairs.

With each step he made, his cane was a hindrance he didn't think he could afford. The only thing on his mind was finding the other. "Chase?!" House yelled, desperation taking over as he rushed down the hall towards their room. He had known something was wrong the past few days. He _knew_ the other was frightened enough to need him close by, but prideful enough to keep whatever was bothering him to himself. Still, he should have dome something, _said_ something to let him know he was cared for, had someone to talk to, despite how much House pretended to not want to listen.

Seconds passed like an eternity until he finally threw open the bedroom door, his eyes widening at the sight laid out before him. The young blonde had huddled in the corner formed by the nightstand and the wall, his face buried in his hands while bloody fingers grasped his hair. His whole body quivered and House could hear the rapid breathing loud and clear. In less than a second he had crossed the room and dropped to his knees in front of his blonde lover, ignoring the pain shooting through his thigh.

He slowly lifted a hand, placing it on the other's forearm. "Robbie...," he said softly, not wanting to frighten him. What he hadn't expected was for the other to suddenly lash out, fighting against an assailant that existed only in his mind. One particularly strong punch knocked him back, but he recovered quickly. "It's just me!" he yelled, trying to get through the barriers the other had put up in his mind as what he assumed was a defense mechanism. He quickly grasped Chase's arms to stop him from struggling. "Chase, listen to me. It's just me, Greg, you know, the guy who lives here with you?"

He could feel him twisting and turning in his arms, trying to escape, but to no avail.

After a few minutes the other seemed to finally calm down, and House loosened his grip only to fully wrap his arms around the other, pulling him close. The fearful yells filling the air minutes ago were replaced by hushed sobs. "It's alright, you're alright...," he whispered softly in the other's ear, hoping that his quiet words would somehow reassure the young doctor in his arms. Thoughts raced through his mind, never being completed as one overlapped the other from worry for his lover to wondering what the hell had happened while he was away. It wasn't until the other spoke that he was finally pulled out of his thoughts.

"Greg...," Chase whispered, his voice barely audible, though to House it was loud and clear. It meant the other was back with him.

"I'm right here," House answered, slowly backing away just enough to be able to lightly bring his hand to Chase's cheek. His thumb brushed away a fear tears before his hand slid down and he lightly nudged the blonde's chin up, urging him to look up.

At first Chase averted the older man's gaze. Shame swelled inside him as he slowly became aware of what was happening. He was no longer alone in the house that slowly was becoming his prison, nor was the man who had been tormenting him around anymore, at least for now. The quiet pleas coming from House were what finally convinced him to look him in the eyes, for no other reason than that Gregory House does not beg.

When his eyes met the ice blue ones he had grown to love he saw nothing but love and concern practically pouring out of them. He hadn't meant to make House worry so much. In fact, he hadn't meant for him to find out anything was happening at all, but now the cat was out of the bag and deep down he knew that he would not be able to hide his past any longer. Out of the corner of his eye though, he noticed a red mark on his lovers face and though it took him a moment, shock and realization hit him like a hurricane. "I did that...didn't I?" he asked softly, his fingers lightly brushing the offending mark.

His hand was softly grasped by another and pulled away. "Don't you worry your pretty little head about it. It may look bad but you still hit like a girl." House spoke lightly with his playful tone and trademark smirk, trying to get some sense of familiarity back into the situation, hoping to help ease the mood. Chase was grateful, though even as he wiped away the last of his tears he could tell just from looking that House was expecting answers. He wouldn't push for them, but Chase also knew that he wouldn't accept silence any longer. And deep down, the blonde knew he was right. He deserved to hear everything.

"Come on," House said, very slowly rising to his feet, barely able to hide the wince as pain shot through his leg. Chase wanted to ask if he was alright, but the expression he received when he went to speak made him quickly decide against it. "We need to get your fingers cleaned and bandaged."

Chases' brows furrowed in confusion and he looked down at his hands, surprised to find them covered in blood. His eyes moved to the floor and the scattered glass though and soon it made perfect sense, though how he hadn't felt the pain he had no idea because now his hands stung like something fierce. Taking a deep breath he slowly got up, glancing towards the door with slight apprehension, fear still dwelling inside him. He managed a faint smile however when he felt an arm snake around his waist and leisurely walk him through their home and back downstairs to the kitchen.

He let House sit him down on one of the stools and kept his eyes on the floor as his listened to the hurried movements of the diagnostician. He heard the blinds being closed, which he was very thankful for, and the shuffling of items while House dug out the first aid kit they kept. A small frown dawned his face as he watched the cuts on his hands being cleaned, biting down on his lip to keep from wincing.

When the last band aid was put on House lightly kissed his fingertips. "Now that wasn't so bad was it?"

Chase gave him a mock glare but shook his head. The table, he noticed, still had all the ingredients door dinner left untouched. It was a bit late, but if he started now he could have something made up for them within the hour. House probably hadn't eaten much and he had promised to have dinner waiting...Without a word he slid off of the seat and moved towards the stove so he could preset the oven.

The older doctor watched him curiously for a moment until he realized what was going on and would have none of it. Two steps and he was close enough to place his hand on Chase's shoulder and slowly turn him around. "Chase..."

"I...I promised I'd have dinner waiting when you got back...," he replied softly. "I fell asleep though...and then...It won't take too long...I mean it won't be anything _great_ but...you know..."

"I think for one night we can order something out," House said soothingly, urging Chase to stay calm. "Come on...go settle down on the couch and I'll call something in." He placed a gentle kiss on his young lover's forehead before lightly urging him forward, thankful that he didn't put up a fight.

After he made sure Chase was settled down he walked back to the kitchen and leaned against the wall, a heavy sigh escaping his lips as he ran a hand over his face. Despite how he was trying, the truth was he had no idea how to deal with what was happening. He'd never been the supporter, the protector. No, that was never his role and now that it was...as loathe as he was to admit, it scared him. How easy would it be to say one thing wrong and have everything unravel? Wilson was a hundred times better at this sort of thing and a small part of him was tempted to get his friend to come by, but deep down he knew it was him that Chase needed. Shaking his head he walked over to the other side of the kitchen and picked up the phone he had earlier discarded and dialed up the chinese food place, ordering everything he knew Chase liked.

Making his way back to the living room, he barely had time to sit down before Chase started to talk.

"I never dreamed something like this would happen again," he whispered, letting out a soft breath before glancing over at his lover. Memories came drifting back from a place he had worked desperately to forget. He knew he had to talk about it, but he knew he couldn't bare to watch Greg's reactions, so he settled for laying down, his head on House's good leg and his eyes facing the blank tv screen. Taking comfort in the hand that now brushed through his hair he let his eyes drift closed and recounted the tale.

"It was all so stupid really...there were so many things I could've done differently when I think back on it. I was so young, god...putting it that way makes me sound old...I was young_er_. New to the country...I mean I made friends at school rather quickly but...I don't know, I suppose I just wasn't used to how everything worked, you know? Anyway, as cliché as it sounds, I met this guy. He was in my human anatomy lecture and lab and we got paired up."

"He was just so different from anyone I had met there so far. While we were studying our brains out to do well in school he was out partying and still doing better than all of us. So one time he asked if I wanted to hang out with him and some of his friends and I figured I had nothing to lose. We ended up at some club and I ended up drinking until I couldn't see straight, which didn't take much. I had absolutely no tolerance back then." And though he wasn't looking, Chase could see the light smirk that was most likely on House's face.

"Anyway...I guess afterwards he drove me back to his place and we ended up hooking up. Even now I don't really remember much of it...the whole night's a blur and the next morning I just remember being completely freaked out. I had no idea how I had gotten there and yeah, I had been interested but not enough to really...do anything I guess. At least not without actually knowing him, which I really didn't. Like I said...it was stupid and idiotic and probably the worst thing I've done. I was just glad that I was able to leave without waking him up. What else was I supposed to do?"

"I didn't really have much time to figure that out since we were lab partners and all. So the weekend passed and Monday I walked into class and there he was with this knowing grin on his face that I just wanted to smack away. I was so embarrassed...I barely said a word the whole class. Afterwards he took me aside to see if everything was cool between us. So...I told my thoughts on the situation and that I didn't really want it to happen again. Needless to say, he didn't really like the answer and freaked out. Punched me square in the face."

"After that I switched into another class, figuring it was for the best. Obviously being lab partners wasn't going to work very well and I couldn't mess up my schooling just because of this one little thing. For a couple weeks everything seemed to be going okay and I thought things would just be normal but then...I started getting these phone calls in the middle of the night and he started showing up at my room or would be waiting for me when one of my classes got out. He kept trying to say that things could just be worked out and all of this other stuff that I don't even remember completely. Just...he wouldn't go away."

"I tried changing my phone number a couple of times to at least get that to stop , but he just kept calling and calling and sometimes I'd look outside he'd just be standing there. Eventually my friends convinced me that I should call the police and get a restraining order, which I did...Course he wasn't very happy about that. Jess, she was the best friend I had back then, we actually still talk every now and then. It's hard...she's doing doctors without borders...Anyway...she said I could always transfer but...I didn't want to leave. Why should I run right? So we went with an alternative."

"Back then I was using my mother's maiden name...I couldn't stand being associated with my father. But given the circumstances, I figured it was better than leaving school. So I changed my last name back to my father's and re-registered everything using it and dyed my hair. Dark brown, Jess's choice...It was...different. And I moved, and got another number. And after that...things seemed to be okay."

"I didn't hear another word for a long time. In fact...it wasn't really until my senior year. As it turns out, he had transferred to another school after our freshman year. Anyway, so things were going great, and I just kind of assumed he forgot about me and moved on. But no. No no. It was like he was _biding_ his time or something. It was..."

Chase sighed, pausing for a moment in his tale. He reached up and tugged House's free hand around him, holding it tight in his own. House's eyes were boring into him, he could tell.

"Chase..."

"I'm alright...It just...that night...I remember sitting at my desk going over my notes. I had a test the next day that I had been studying for for two weeks. I just wanted to test myself a few more times. A little past midnight the phone rang. It wasn't that late, so I didn't think anything of it. When I answered though there was no one there. So I shrugged it off, figured it was a wrong number, and moved on."

"But then it happened again...and again, and again. Finally I was about to pull the phone out but it rang once more and I picked up and just yelled into the phone for whoever it was to just stop but before I could hang up I just heard this voice and it was his and I don't even remember what it really said but I knew the voice and that was all that really mattered. It was like he was playing with me and nothing I did would stop it. I started hearing noises in the apartment and he'd talk and hang up and call back...I used my cell phone to call the police but...he was already there. Broke in through the front door the police said. He attacked me...I fought back though...at least enough til the cops got there."

"He went to jail after that...My friends were really great about it and helped me a lot...I got through it and graduated pre-med...I even passed that stupid test I had been studying for...But...That's about it...you can imagine why I don't talk very much about it..."

House remained silent for the next few minutes, taking in everything he had been told and working through the emotions that flowed through him. Surprise went to anger went to sympathy. So rather than use words, he settled for pulling Chase closer, helping him shift so that they were facing one another, and drew him into a kiss.


	4. Chapter 4

Authors Note: I know I know. It's been forever since I have updated. Luckily though now I'm on spring break so I'm getting a chance to get back on track. Sorry it took me so long. But hopefully this chapter is as enjoyable as the others have been :-)

Chapter 4

Over the next few days, Chase's resolve began to slowly crumble. After he had told House everything he could about what had happened during his college years, the older man had persuaded him to call the police to report the break in. It came as a surprise, mostly because he knew the two of them didn't have much faith in cops after the whole Tritter fiasco. Still, at the very least they would be able to see if his tormenter was actually who he thought by seeing if he had even gotten out of jail as of yet. Work went on as normal, or as normal as the young doctor could handle. He didn't take being left alone too well now though, and he was sure that Foreman and Cameron were beginning to suspect something was up, not that he would ever tell them.

Going home was now more like walking into the line of fire, and he never went home without Greg. For the first couple of nights he didn't bother leaving the hospital, grabbing up shifts in the NICU, however after the second night his lover called him on his actions and sternly told him it needed to stop. He was right of course, the lack of sleep combined with his limited food intake was leaving him tired and vulnerable, two things he could not afford to be as a doctor. He couldn't be blamed though, there were many reasons for him to not be left alone, which is why his actions now seemed so out of place.

"I think I'm going to head home," he announced as he waltzed into House's office. He watched as the other slowly looked up, his eyes watching him with their analytical gaze. "You know I still have things to do here..."

Chase nodded and smiled faintly, plopping down in one of the chairs. "I know, it's just that I'm tired, and I've still got dinner to make. Besides...it'll only be a few hours before you get back..."

"...Are you sure? As much as I love having my own personal chef, I wouldn't be apposed to picking something up. Or you could invite Wilson by, I'm sure he's got nothing better to do."

Still, the young blonde shook his head. He had to admit it was rather touching though. With everything going on, Chase had noticed more and more just how much this older man cared for him. "I don't want to bother him. And...I can't keep being scared to go home. I mean...we finally have this place that's ours and...I don't want to be petrified of it. The calls have stopped coming anyway..."

Greg sighed, but gave a quick nod, understanding his lover's reasoning. "I shouldn't be more than three hours max. Just...you know, call if you need anything."

"I will." He tossed a grateful smile House's way before leaning over for a quick kiss. One of the better things that had come from the current situation; House seemed to be more lenient when it came to public displays of affection, which was the only reason he hadn't just gotten smacked on the head.

The drive back to their home seemed longer than usual as he fought with his imagination. Every bad scenario that could possibly occur seemed to pop into his mind, only to be replaced by something even worse. It was a vicious cycle that sadly he could not seem to rid himself of, getting worse and worse until finally he pulled into the driveway. He sat there for a few minutes, trying to calm his racing heart and breath. "Nothing is going to happen," he told himself, fingers clenching the steering wheel. "Just get out of the car and go inside."  
It took a few more minutes but finally, he did. Chase peeled his fingers from the wheel and got out of the car, taking achingly slow footsteps towards the front door, ignoring the hair that the harsh wind blew into his eyes. He fumbled in his pockets for the keys and quickly unlocked the door and went inside, shoving it closed behind him. As he leaned back against the door his eyes darted around the room, scanning the area for anything out of place. He found nothing wrong.

A small sigh escaped his lips as he placed his keys on the key hook next the door and took a deep breath. "Nothing out of the ordinary so far," he whispered to himself as he tried to calm down. "It was probably just some giant hoax, who knows. But it's over now so just let it go. You got over it before, and this isn't even close to being as bad as it was."

With similar thoughts flowing through his mind, Chase left the security of being close to the door and ventured further in the house. He glanced up the stairs, briefly mowing over the idea of going to his room but decided against it. After all, these things took time. Instead he dropped his backpack and coat onto the couch and flipped on the TV, surfing the channels until he decided on Emeril. Nothing could set the mood for cooking better than having Emeril in the background after all.

Steak was the dish of choice tonight. Something his lover greatly enjoyed but they didn't have very often. It was his hope that House would be pleasantly surprised. He figured after everything, a nice dinner for two was the least he could do. The other had helped him more than he thought possible, and that was something he would not soon forget. True, Chase had always known that despite popular belief House did have a heart somewhere, but the amount of compassion he had been shown within the past week left him amazed.

Smiling faintly, he pulled out the bowl containing the marinated steak and placed it on the counter. He turned on the oven before moving towards the freezer, searching for something to go with the meal. Normally one would think of vegetables and such, but the blonde knew better. Oh yes, House would prefer french fries over anything remotely healthy. Still, Chase found that he didn't complain whenever food was presented in front of him, so long as he made sure that the vegetables were accompanied by some kind of dessert. Though sometimes when he was lucky desert was something a bit less conventional.

Chase settled on rice and soup. Soup was healthy enough, and he could hide the taste of vitamins that seemed to make his lover's skin crawl. Once the meat was in the oven and the sides on the stove he leaned against the counter, watching the TV while pausing every few minutes to stir the soup. The delicious aroma soon began to filter through the kitchen and Chase smiled fondly, finally feeling at ease in his home.

A while later he glanced over at the clock, noting that it was getting late and House would be arriving soon. Walking across the room he picked up his cell phone and flipped it open to make a call, but was surprised to hear someone already on the line. "...Hello?"

"Honestly Robbie, did you really think I would just disappear?" a voice taunted, causing Chase's blood to run cold as he instantly paled. "I've waited years to get out of jail and see what happened to you. And don't even think about hanging up the phone...I'd get to you before you could finish dialing."

Although the other was still speaking Chase could not make out the words. His heart was pounding too loudly in his ears and his mind was busy racing for a solution. He reached for the phone but any hopes of calling for help were dashed by the silence that answered him rather than a dial tone. He could vaguely make out the sound of laughter filling his ear but he did his best to ignore it. What next, what now? He could try to make it to the car...If he got in the car he could just drive away. That had to be it. That's all he could think of.

"...But really? To leave me and end up with some old cripple? I thought you had better taste than that."

"Well,...I don't know what would make you think that," Chase said offhandedly, trying to grab his keys and keep looking around all at once. "After all, I ended up with you didn't I? Look how well that turned out." Telling himself to remain calm was a mantra playing in his head like a broken record. Not that it was really working. When he finally had his keys firmly in grasp he made his way to the door.

"Well, that hurts Robbie, it really does."

"The truth usually does," he replied, quietly opening the door. He had to be careful and quiet. Careful and quiet. No chance of getting caught right? Right. He could see the car, it was just a few feet away. He could make it. He'd make it to the car, drive away, and everything would be okay. But just as he went to make his move, his eyes stopped on the now slashed tires that were staring him in the face.

"Did you really think I'd lose you again that easily," came the taunt on the other line, prompting Chase to quickly close the door behind him.

With the door securely locked, the young doctor slide down the door until he was sitting, arms tugging a knew to his chest to rest his head. Blonde locks fell in front of his watering eyes as he tried to think of what to do. But nothing would come. He couldn't take the car with no tires. And he was being watched...the only question was from where. In the house? Outside the house? Did it really matter in the end?

When the first tear fell down his cheek Chase shook his head, rubbing at his eyes harshly to clear them of his weakness.

"Man...I never took you for a cryer. Then again you always were a bit sensitive weren't you?"

The only difference now was that the voice wasn't coming from the small received he held to his ear, and as Chase slowly raised his head he saw his tormentor, Ryan Cutler, leaning calmly against the staircase railing. Suddenly he forgot how to breath as he watched the man walking towards him. The reflecting of light hitting the kitchen knife he held didn't escape his notice either. Anything he had been thinking was gone and instinct kicked in as he quickly pulled himself up, slowly inching his way across the wall, away from the one who was approaching. "If by sensitive you mean not wanting to get beat up," he replied, his voice quivering slightly.

He received a glare for that, and suddenly Ryan was lunging at him, and he tried to move out of the way but arms wrapped around his legs and he fell backwards, his head slamming against the table. Pain seared through his head and for a few moments he was at a complete loss, dizzy and disoriented. His mind only came back to him when he felt something cold trailing down his chest, gently at first until he gasped as the knife tip pierced his skin, leaving a superficial cut down his chest.

"Come on Robbie. Deep down, did you really think I'd just disappear? After everything we've been through together?"

Chase tried desperately to ignore the pain in his head and now his chest and focus on coming up with an escape. His eyes flickered to the side, widening at the sight of the firepoker that lay precariously in front of the fireplace, just a couple feet away. And while Ryan was busy talking and looking for more places to cut Chase focused on trying with all his might to reach what he hoped would save him. Fingers inched closer and closer, clawing at the carpet each time he tried and failed to grasp the makeshift weapon. Just as he felt the knife against his skin once more he managed to grab the handle of the metal poker and without a second thought jabbed the blunt end into his attackers side, causing him to yell out.

With that small distraction Chase threw Ryan off of him, scrambling to try to get to his feet and ignore the wave of nausea he felt at the simple task. He slammed his eyes shut for just a moment to get his bearings straight, opening them just in time to see Ryan coming at him again. This time Chase managed to dodge him and swung the metal poker in his direction, however he had underestimated the man, and the next thing he knew Ryan's face was just inches from his, and pain shot through his body.

Green eyes widened in shock as reality started to fade around him. He never noticed the clang of the poker hitting the ground nor the knife's hasty retreat from his abdomen, readying for a second attack that never came. Tears pricked his eyes and his vision was blurring, air coming in short gasps. And suddenly the fingers that had been bruising his arms were gone and his legs gave out, though somehow he never hit the floor. Something was different, and so for a moment Chase tried to ignore his own pain and focus on what was happening. Then he heard someone calling to him.

"Chase!" The voice was so familiar... "Chase I need you to open your eyes for me okay?" He didn't even realize his eyes were closed. Then he felt fingers brushing against his cheeks. "The police are on their way with the ambulance...Chase please...Robbie..." All right. He could do that. Chase could do that one simple task couldn't he? Of course. So he tried to, urging his eyelids to move, though the sudden shooting pain surely help him.

As soon as he could see he was met with a pair of blue eyes that watched him with worry and fear. "Greg...," he said, his voice barely rising above a whisper.

"It's me. I'm right here," Greg answered, trying to keep his voice study as he gazed upon his bleeding angel. Blood had already seeped through the jacket he was using to put pressure on the stab wound, staining his fingers crimson. With each passing second he wanted to scream. Where the hell was the god damn ambulance anyway? But at the sight of his lover gazing up at him with such fear he held back. "You're gonna be fine okay?"

Chase struggled to offer a faint smile, though as he found it harder and harder to breathe he wasn't so sure House was right this time.


End file.
